(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a recliner regulating structure of a rear seat for a vehicle.
(b) Background Art
Generally, a vehicle seat includes a seat cushion which is fixed to a vehicle body, a seat back which is rotatably connected to the seat cushion, and a slide track which is configured to move the seat forward and rearward.
In particular, the seat back is rotatably connected to a rear end of the seat cushion by a recliner, and an angle of the seat back can be regulated by the recliner.
The recliner is installed to both sides of the seat and connects a lower end of the seat back and a rear end of the seat cushion, and the seat back is locked or unlocked in response to rotation of an operation lever.
In order to regulate an angle of the seat back, the operation lever would thus firstly be manipulated.
FIG. 6 shows a conventional recliner regulating structure of a vehicle and a recliner structure used in a multi purpose vehicle (MPV).
In the recliner structure of a rear seat for an MPV, unlike a conventional recliner structure, an operating lever 11 is mounted to an upper end of a seat back 2, and a reclining part 10 is operated by an engagement with a first cable 12.
The reclining part 10 includes a connecting bracket 13, a lock gear 14 and a sector gear 15. The connecting bracket 13 is connected to the first cable 12 at a side of a seat back frame 4. The lock gear 14 and sector gear 15 are locked or unlocked by a rotating operation of the connecting bracket 13.
The connecting bracket 13 and the lock gear 14 are rotatably connected to the seat back 2, and the sector gear 15 is fixed to the seat cushion frame 5.
Teeth 14a and 15a are formed in the lock gear 14 and sector gear. The teeth 14a and 15a are engaged with one another in a lock state or are disengaged from one another in an unlock state.
The lock gear 14 which is locked to or unlocked from the sector gear 15 includes a guide pin 14b which moves along a guide hole 13a of the connecting bracket 13.
However, in the MPV, fourth array seats are positioned in a narrow space, so that there is a limit in regulation amount of a recliner of the rear seat 1 at the hindmost.
That is, in regulating the recliner of the rear seat 1, a headrest of the rear seat 1 is interfered by a rear glass. Furthermore, the head of an occupant may contact the rear glass so that the occupant head may be damaged in the event of a rear crash.
In order to solve this problem, some MPVs are designed such that the recliner of the rear seat 1 is not regulated. This may cause inconvenience, however.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art that is already known to a person skilled in the art.